1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to electrical connectors. This electrical connector included a laterally shiftable member or cam slide that is used to apply mating force between two connectors. This electrical connector is also a sealed electrical connector including separately sealed compartments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cam slides are used to increase the force available to mate two electrical. U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,251 is an example of a plug connector that uses a laterally shiftable cam slide that includes cam slots which engage cam follower pins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,194 is another example of an electrical connector that includes a laterally shiftable cam slide. Prior art connectors of this type have been used to connect automotive wiring harnesses to components in motor vehicles. For example, a cam slide connector of this type could be employed as part of an anti-lock braking system of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,026.
Electrical connectors of this type are typically sealed and include multiple signal terminals and power terminals having a current rating and a size greater than that of the signal terminals. In some cases, separate connectors are employed to connect power and signal wires to multiple input/output headers on an electronic module. However, space is often a consideration, so that it is desirable that as many terminations as possible be made in the same connector. However, when the same connector must include power terminals, seals and a force augmenting member such as a cam slide it becomes more difficult to incorporate them all into a relatively simple connector. Since simpler connectors are as a rule less expensive to manufacture so it is important to keep the connectors as simple as possible. For example, if the connector and component housings can be molded by the use of simple straight pull tooling, without side cores, the connector can be more cost effectively manufactured. Elimination of molding operations in which sections of the mold must travel for a relatively long distance when the part is extracted from the mold will also reduce cost and improve the reliability of the mold tooling. For example, one prior art cam slide connector included a channel in which the cam slide is shiftable. This channel extends along the entire length of the rectangular connector housing. The channel is formed by blades on the mold which shift in a direction parallel to the longest dimension of the connector housing making the tooling travel relatively long and reducing the density of the cavities in the mold.